The 4th Edition of Flames Of War is bigger (and smaller) than ever, with a new rulebook that is slimmer than previous editions but retains all the tactical challenges that you have come to expect from Flames Of War.

This new rulebook has slimmed down by reducing the amount of unnecessary flavour text around the rules, and by dropping large numbers of special rules in favour of just stating their effect on the relevant unit cards.

These unit cards are the other obvious change in the new version. In the new army books, every unit has a card listing its ratings such as its motivation, its skill, and how hard it is to hit, along with its speed in different circumstances, its weapons characteristics, and on the back the unit organisation, points cost, and relevant special rules. Because each card shows the scores needed for that unit to succeed in various things, we were able to replace lots of rules with simple stat changes.

Despite the shorter rulebook and easier to learn and quicker to play system, the new version retains (and in many ways enhances) the tactical depth that drew players to earlier versions of the game.

The Desert Rats are the only thing standing in the way of Axis conquest of North Africa. Despite suffering repeated defeats at the hands of Rommel’s Afrika Korps, they remain undaunted. Their speedy Crusader and Honey tanks can run circles around their opposition, backed up by the heavier Grant squadrons. Their motorised infantry are equally adept in attack or defence. With support from the Royal Artillery and the Desert Air Force, they are a formidable and versatile force.

The German Afrika Korps is a hard-fighting force of tough veteran troops who have won many battles and expect to win many more. Their Panzer III and Panzer IV tanks outclass the British tanks they face, and have been steadily upgraded to maintain their edge over the opposition. Their infantry are organised to have ‘few men, many weapons’, so they pack a ferocious punch whether facing infantry or tanks. These are backed by the famous ‘88’ dual-purpose anti-tank/anti-aircraft gun and the Stuka dive bomber. Afrika Korps